Languages enable efficient, high quality communication. People, for example, use language to communicate ideas. Even computers use language to interpret information in the form of program instructions. Languages are typically based on a vocabulary and a grammar. Many modern languages are capable of verbal (i.e., oral) expression, whereby a human voice may carry speech. Examples of verbal expressions of language are evident, for example, in radio broadcasts, audio books, and everyday dialogue. Many languages are also capable of written expression, whereby characters are tangibly embodied in a medium. Examples of written expressions of language include books, newspapers, and legal documents.
Whether expressed in verbal or written form, languages typically include a vocabulary to represent ideas or concepts. A vocabulary may include all the words of a language, or all words that may be used by or understood by a particular group.
Although there may be many exceptions, languages typically employ a set of rules, or a grammar, to structure the vocabulary into organized patterns. Grammar may provide structural relationships in a language, including a system of rules for generating all sentences possible in a language.
In addition to vocabulary and grammar, expressions of language may be understood from the perspective of semantics. In general, semantics may relate to the meaning that is conveyed by language, which may be shaped in large measure by the context in which an idea is expressed. For example, “row” may be understood as a verb in the context of a small boat, but be understood as a noun with a very different meaning in the context of a table in a spreadsheet. Whether communicated in verbal or written form, semantic analysis may be important to understanding the intended meaning of the word “row.” For example, verbal expressions of homonyms, like “way” and “weigh,” may be indistinguishable without reference to the context in which they are used.